Council President, I do have a follow-up point of information.
Thank you, Council President. Thank you, Councilmember Oh, for your statement. In your text of the resolution, you make reference to humanitarian corridors. I know there's been conversations between Ukraine and Russia. Have those humanitarian STATED MEETING 62 3/24/2022 3/24/22 - STATED - 2ND READING corridors been established?
To my knowledge, the humanitarian corridors are the corridors that exist. In other words, there are only certain ways that large groups of people can leave an area that is being bombed and an area that has no food, no water, no medicine, and those are usually along highways and roads that lead to someplace else. So those corridors exist. To my knowledge, there is not an agreement between the Ukrainian government and the Russian government regarding how those pathways will be made safe for non-combatants to leave the area, but it is something we hope that everyone will pay great attention to in establishing security for the many people who are leaving, especially many of the people who are leaving are children, elderly persons, and persons with disabilities, and many of the families are not intact as the men are staying STATED MEETING 63 3/24/2022 3/24/22 - STATED - 2ND READING behind, not all of them but many of them, to fight for the country.
Yeah. Thank you, Council President. And, Councilmember Oh, I understand that perspective. I, not having a full understanding of whether those humanitarian corridors have been established by both Russia and Ukraine and considering even a limited no-fly zone over corridors that are yet to be established, I think there's -- I won't say established; yet to be acknowledged and recognized by both parties. There's also concern that this body would take legislative action, official action, without having an understanding that humanitarian corridors have been established and recognized by both countries, and calling for a limited no-fly zone when those corridors have not been duly established creates concern. STATED MEETING 64 3/24/2022 3/24/22 - STATED - 2ND READING I would hope that based on that concern, that you, Councilmember Oh, will consider tabling this resolution at this time because of that uncertainty and because of what a limited no-fly zone would entail.
Yes. Thank you. I guess I might as well make my comment now. I do understand the concern and perspective. I hear it on my social media. People are concerned about World War III. What I'd say is this: We are heading to World War III because there are nine nations with nuclear weapons and one of them is not concerned about World War III. That's what happens. A nation with nuclear weapons has crossed the border into a democratic country and has begun to bomb and kill their civilians, take their lands and other things, because they believe with great STATED MEETING 65 3/24/2022 3/24/22 - STATED - 2ND READING confidence that the other eight nations with nuclear weapons are not going to do a damn thing about it, and that's how we get to World War III. Now, while we are trying to send like food and humanitarian aid and while we deal with the issue of 10 million displaced persons heading into Europe and where they go, I think it really is an issue that is just one of our resolve. Individual rights, according to our Constitution, are God given, not government created. They're inalienable rights. That's part of our Constitution. And when people get together to make decisions, they go through a democratic process, whether we like the results or not, and within these borders, we exercise a process of self-determination. Outside of our borders, other people, they do their own determination. And when someone crosses into the border of free people exercising STATED MEETING 66 3/24/2022 3/24/22 - STATED - 2ND READING self-determination, it is up to other free people, free nations, to defend their right on the principle that all people are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights. When we sit back, when we don't take action, even the simplest things like passing resolutions, for fear that somehow a dictator, who has already violated sovereign space, already began bombing women and children, already is invading and talking about invading other places, we are inviting World War III. That's just my opinion and, you know, everybody has a right to their own concerns. I respect those persons who are very concerned about things, and I don't think, you know, necessarily things are simple or easy, but I do think that as we are in the middle of this process, that is I think something that we can represent our values on this issue. Thank you.
STATED MEETING 67 3/24/2022 3/24/22 - STATED - 2ND READING Okay. Councilwoman -
Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Council President. I was just handed this by my staff, smarter than me. So nine humanitarian corridors were agreed on, I guess, Wednesday. But who agreed on them? Was it Russia or was it -- who agreed on them? So I was just handed it, that nine humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians trapped in Ukrainian towns, but there's no agreement by Russia at least for one city. I don't know. I'm reading this, so I'd better not take that as gospel. Thank you.
Thank you. Councilwoman Gym, did you have a follow-up?
Just a very brief clarification. I think Councilman Oh has STATED MEETING 68 3/24/2022 3/24/22 - STATED - 2ND READING stated this very clearly. All of us feel the agony over what is happening at this time, and it's not just in Ukraine. We're feeling the agony of what we're witnessing in terms of civil war in Ethiopia and dozens of other countries around the world, but, again, this is not a statement about the need for humanitarian corridors, about the urgency of the U.S. taking action. It's not about the urgency of the U.S. being supportive. It's not a statement solely about -- Councilmember Green introduced a resolution honoring the heroes within the Ukrainian resistance and the Ukrainian Army. We are all supportive. We are very clear about that. I do not believe our City Council body should issue a declaration of war through official action. I think that relies on the U.S. Senate and our Congress, and just wanted to make sure that that was crystal clear. There may be a point in time STATED MEETING 69 3/24/2022 3/24/22 - STATED - 2ND READING where that could be the case, but I do not believe that this body should be the one that issues that determination.
The Chair recognizes -- Councilman Jones, did you want to be recognized? You keep hitting your -- all right. Okay.
All right. I saw your hand raised. Councilman Oh.
Yeah. I do have a clarification. So, in fact, the Russian government and the Ukrainian government have recognized nine humanitarian corridors.
Okay. At some point, we're going to have to wrap this up. So I know I'm not supposed to do this. I'm not supposed to speak that would attempt to influence the STATED MEETING 70 3/24/2022 3/24/22 - STATED - 2ND READING vote. I will not say what I have to say until after the vote. Follow the rules. Councilman Oh, can you make your motion again.
Yeah. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
Okay. Let's do it again in unison so we can do a better count. All in favor indicate saying aye. (Aye.)
Those opposed? (Nay.) STATED MEETING 71 3/24/2022 3/24/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
Council President, I abstain. This is Councilmember Thomas.
Council President, I'll ask for a roll call vote, because it's kind of hazy to me.
It sounds like it was more opposition, and we are spending, frankly speaking -- I know I'm not supposed to do this -- way too much time on this. We do have issues in the City of Philadelphia. Councilman, you asked for a roll call?
Councilwoman Brooks. STATED MEETING 72 3/24/2022 3/24/22 - STATED - 2ND READING
No. STATED MEETING 73 3/24/2022 3/24/22 - STATED - 2ND READING You have to have -
Aye. I think I missed some earlier STATED MEETING 74 3/24/2022 3/24/22 - STATED - 2ND READING votes. Can I be recorded as aye?
Let Councilman -- let the record reflect that Councilman Squilla voted aye on -
I keep getting kicked off. I don't think anybody wants me on today. I'm sorry.
Thank you. Your vote on this resolution is aye, Councilman?
Councilman, you can't abstain. It's not a conflict. We got to take a vote.
Well, I vote no based on the lack of clarity of the resolution.
Council President STATED MEETING 75 3/24/2022 3/24/22 - STATED - 2ND READING Clarke.
I'm actually going to vote aye, and I'll explain after we finish. So -
Yeah. All right. The resolution fails. Briefly, and we will have this conversation off the grid, because we do get involved in a lot of things that we don't have jurisdiction on, frankly speaking. We have kind of set a precedent for this, so there probably should be some further conversation and guidance around what we do and don't get involved with one way or another. We can't pick and choose when we decide we want to have a global approach or a federal approach or a state approach. So that issue is not kind of a red herring, frankly speaking. STATED MEETING 76 3/24/2022 this, spent way too much time on this particular issue. We are all saddened. My aye vote is based on, frankly speaking, being pissed off every night I turn on TV and seeing all these people being killed and maimed. Putin is a war criminal. I mean, it is clear. I don't think he's listening to anybody. Who knows where this is going, but we just have to pray and continue to be supportive in whatever way we can. I've already said too much as the Chair. I'm going to leave that alone. Thank you all for your vote. Mr. Decker, do we have any additional resolutions?
Thank you very much. Speeches on behalf of the minority? STATED MEETING 77 3/24/2022 (No response.)
None. Speeches on behalf of the majority? The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.
Thank you, Council President. This Tuesday in the Public Safety Committee chaired by Councilmember Jones -- I just want to thank him for helping us to put together this hearing -- we will do another hearing on the work of ManUpPHL. Prior to the pandemic, we had hearings on their work at Christian Stronghold. Because we're still dealing with the issues of the pandemic, this will be on Microsoft Teams. , we'll be having hearings regarding the work of ManUpPHL, their Executive Director, someone we all know, Solomon Jones, and the Chair of ManUpPHL, STATED MEETING 78 3/24/2022 Ellis did a study and interviewed a number of young people they've worked with through the ManUpPHL work. " So they really spent some time talking with the young men who unfortunately get caught up in some of the challenges that we've seen in our city. We all know the information and numbers regarding gun violence. m. I think really provides the ability to talk and hear from both Dr. Ellis and Solomon Jones about what they heard from young men who have been caught up in the gun culture in our city. m. com/watch or on Comcast Channel 64 or FiOS 40 and 41. So I know the young men that have gone through and have been working with ManUpPHL really have gone through perseverance. They've persevered to get through some of the challenges they've dealt with and persevered to be much better citizens and becoming better citizens in our city. When I think about that word "perseverance," it reflects on just this week as we are still in March and Women's History Month, and I received a text message from a friend of mine that one of my classmates from the University of Virginia had a chance to witness her roommate from law school testify this week, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. And if you heard her testimony, her personal story, and she made reference to the word "perseverance" and how she as a young lady coming from Florida, going to STATED MEETING 80 3/24/2022 Harvard, being in Boston for the first time and being in a cold temperature, cold environment and also received a lot of cold stares, and there was another African American woman that was on the campus at that time when she was in her early years of Harvard, who walked over to her and said basically, you have a right to be here. And it's that type of perseverance that she provided and learned from and the type of perseverance that she has been dealing with this week, and hopefully very soon will be confirmed as the first African American woman Justice in the history of our United States Supreme Court. And I'm sure the late Constance Baker Motley, who was the first federal judge of -- African American woman judge who was appointed by President Lyndon Baines Johnson in 1966, is smiling down, because she was the first African American federal judge. And when you STATED MEETING 81 3/24/2022 of judges in the history of our courts, there's been close to 4,000 judges who have been appointed to our federal court system. Only 70 have been African American women, less than 2 percent. And Judge Motley rose to become a Chief Judge of the Southern District of New York during her time as a member of the Judiciary. S. Supreme Court. Thank you, Council President.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson. STATED MEETING 82 3/24/2022
Thank you. Thank you so much, Mr. President. And thank you, Councilmember Derek Green, for acknowledging our sister, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, and the perseverance that she has displayed over the last several days. But today I rise to stand in support of the confirmation of my sister, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. For the past several days, we have all witnessed brilliance, intelligence, strength, poise, courage, and determination under fire from an outstanding jurist, American, and African American woman, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, and I want to keep saying her name. For so many, it has been triggering to watch the childish, clownish antics of a few, because the experience that's been on display for the world to see is an experience far too many women, especially Black women, endure each and every day in our STATED MEETING 83 3/24/2022 workplaces, during business interactions, and just being members of our community. It is an experience that many in generations before me learned to live with and deal with. I always remember my mom saying, don't make any waves, don't make any waves, Kathy. And she would always quote Hebrews 12:14, Follow peace with all men. I remember my mentor, Councilmember Blondell Reynolds Brown, always saying, Black women have to walk on water and fly to be considered equal and that excellence must always be the standard. But like Senator Cory Booker, we are not letting them steal our joy. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson sat backed by her husband, her children, and her family. She sat intently and confidently with excellence and filled with grace, and she displayed the restraint of generations of women who have come before her, like Violette Neatley Anderson, the first African STATED MEETING 84 3/24/2022 law before the United States Supreme Court, who was also the eighth President of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated, and Sadie TM Alexander, the first Black woman to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, sister to our Majority Leader, Councilmember Cherelle L. Parker, and many generations to follow. So today I rise as a follow-up to my personal calls to the offices of Senators Casey and Toomey asking them both to support the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the United States Supreme Court. And, finally, Mr. President, I just want to pivot in advance of our budget session over the next couple of weeks and in advance of our budget and in advance of the impending selection of the new Superintendent for the School District of Philadelphia, and as a rallying cry for all of us to understand that this selection is not just about a STATED MEETING 85 3/24/2022 Superintendent, but about a District that needs a full vision for the path forward. Each year, Mr. President -- and I remember this even as a staffer -- this City Council continues to increase the investment in education because we know that investing in our children now will pay dividends later. This year, Mr. President, I want to hear from the School District of Philadelphia on how they are ensuring they are using an equity focus in funding our schools, especially in underresourced areas. And I certainly do not want to hear the same discussion, that the schools are losing money to other entities, when the School District continues to do the marketing for these entities. 7 miles away for middle school. So how does this happen? I can only imagine what other parents across the District are faced with when seeking to attend their local public school. So I offer a few solutions. One, every family needs to have the choice of their local public school from the School District first. If another school is closest and they want to apply to that particular school, then the information for that school should be provided. The online portal needs to be fixed. And I want to say this again.
I'm saying it publicly, because I've said this privately for two years. The online portal needs to be fixed so that you STATED MEETING 87 3/24/2022 closest public school. The online portal should give families the options of the local public schools for their selection, as long as the school is in their catchment area. And, finally, when the District comes to us with projected enrollment data, which then impacts the amount of revenue the school is projected to receive, I am very concerned that these numbers are gathered in a way that is not fair and not based off of the School Finder, which incorrectly routes families to the wrong schools. So as we move into this budget cycle and think about the future of public education in our city, we must work with full and complete, correct information from the School District of Philadelphia. Nothing less will do. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes STATED MEETING 88 3/24/2022
Thank you so much, Council President. And good morning, everyone. I wanted to take a moment to share an experience I had last week that really drove home for me the urgency of our city's gun violence crisis and how far we still have to go in addressing it. On Saturday, I was at an awards banquet for We Embrace Fatherhood, a fantastic organization that focuses on violence prevention in West Philly. I was leaving the event with my friend, DeWayne, one of the co-founders of the group and a Mantua community leader. It was a beautiful afternoon and there were lots of people out and about enjoying the nice weather. As we were walking to my car, all of the sudden we heard gunshots ring out. Thankfully, we were very close to my car at that point. We jumped in, and DeWayne told me to get down as low as I STATED MEETING 89 3/24/2022 out the shooting ducked down on the floor of my car. There were so many shots, and to be honest, I thought the bullets were going to hit the car. I thought we were going to die that day. But all I could do was pray and wait for the shooting to stop, and by the grace of God, we were unharmed and managed to drive away. I spoke to the police captain later, and she told me though no one was injured, there were several shooters involved in this incident. This was an extremely disturbing and traumatizing event for me personally, but that's not why I'm sharing this experience with you today. I was able to get in my car and drive away, but many others live in this community. Our precious community members live on these blocks in Mantua and on blocks like it throughout our city that have been the backdrop for gun violence over and over again, especially STATED MEETING 90 3/24/2022 years. And what I hear from residents and what I've now experienced firsthand is that things are out of control in a way we haven't seen before. It doesn't matter if it's the middle of the day, if it's a Sunday, if there are kids around, shootings are happening anyway. I have childhood friends who live in Mantua, and they are trying their hardest to move away, which is terribly sad in its own way, but I can't even blame them, because their city isn't telling them anything that's making them feel differently about the direction we're moving in. But if you can't afford to move and you feel trapped in a place where you feel scared to go outside or to let your kids play at the park, that's an injustice, and it's a failure of our city to serve its people. We need to be doing so much more for residents in the neighborhoods of our city that are being terrorized by STATED MEETING 91 3/24/2022 year, reporting from the Philadelphia Inquirer uncovered that gun violence is intensely concentrated in distinct neighborhoods on mostly 57 blocks in our city. So why are we not blanketing these blocks with resources like trauma support, youth programs, and conflict resolution? Why are we not hyper-focused on addressing problem properties in these areas, on dealing with the abandoned vehicles in these areas, and on fixing broken street lights? Particular schools like McMichael in Mantua have been the backdrop for violence again and again and again. So why are we not establishing safe school corridor programs, not as a pilot but at every school where this is a consistent problem? I want to express my gratitude to Captain Herder of the 16th District, who has been deeply involved with trying STATED MEETING 92 3/24/2022 around McMichael by expanding her pinpoint boundaries. But this is a broader issue than this one school, and it must be seen with a broader lens than policing. I also want to recognize the work and efforts of Erica Atwood, who leads much of the City's violence prevention work.
Even with the efforts of these women and many, many other dedicated City employees, we still need to do more to meet this moment. We need expanded crisis response in Mantua and neighborhoods like it around the City. Our Community Crisis Intervention Program is a great start, but 54 crisis responders cannot manage the volume of the City that reached 562 homicides in 2021 and that is on pace to see more in 2022. We need crisis responders walking these individual blocks 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And if we can't provide that as a city service, then we should look into getting STATED MEETING 93 3/24/2022 in other ways, like paying community organizations to carry out these efforts. We know what works. We know the exact locations that need these interventions. And so it's maddening that multiple years into this crisis, with thousands of people dead or injured, that we are still not meeting the moment with the kind of response that is necessary to make an impact. This is an alarm that I've been ringing the entire time I've been in office and an issue that many others have championed long before me, but still tragically the crisis rages on, growing larger in scope with every day that passes. We are about to enter budget season once again. Now is the time to be focused, not just on upping the resources from the baseline we set last year at 70 million in new investment dollars, but also in finally approaching this crisis STATED MEETING 94 3/24/2022 it is. In addition to the targeted deployment of resources I mentioned earlier, treating gun violence as an emergency means funding key City agencies, like Parks and Rec, like Commerce, like the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, like the Free Library, in a way that reflects their importance in our anti-violence strategy. And it means a directive to City agencies that this is an all-hands-on-deck matter, that every single City agency has a role to play in bringing this horrible chapter in our city's story to a close, not in a weekly meeting but every single day. I've been a resident of this city my entire life and I've never seen things this bad, and this is about all of us. It's about every Black or Brown person who lives in neighborhoods where they are victimized and feel trapped by violence, but it's also about the ability STATED MEETING 95 3/24/2022 here to feel safe. With the scale of violence we're seeing and the pace of it, the way it's happening at unexpected times of day and unexpected spaces, with more innocent bystanders around, Philadelphians understandably feel like things are out of control, and they deserve to see that something is noticeably different. But we haven't gotten there yet, not just in respect to policing but this idea of providing residents most impacted by this violence with a comprehensive set of resources every single day. Making people feel safe and supported is a fundamental aspect of our work as public servants and elected representatives, and right now we need to be working overtime in a variety of ways to make that happen. And on top of that, we need to be bold and we need to be creative about our approach. For example, last year the STATED MEETING 96 3/24/2022 launched a program where they're giving young men stipends to stop shooting, and participants can increase their stipends by hitting milestones in the program, like landing a job interview, complying with probation, or consistently meeting with a mentor. This is the kind of creative step we need to be taking as a city if we're serious about ending gun violence, because working within the established lines and bureaucracies that we've created clearly isn't working.
And that is what I will continue to fight for as long as it takes, because we can't allow ourselves to become numb to this, especially those of us in positions of power, especially those of us who have the privilege of not contending with gun violence as a real life or death issue for ourselves and our families every waking moment of our lives, and because I love and care about this city so much and I want to see it STATED MEETING 97 3/24/2022 thrive, and that can't happen if so many people are suffering and falling prey to so much violence. We can't sweep it under the rug. We can't ignore it and hope it goes away. We need to tackle it head-on as the emergency it is. That's the least that Philadelphians deserve. Thank you so much.
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Thomas.
Thank you, Council President. I'm going to be very brief. I just, first and foremost, wanted to offer my condolences to Triumph Baptist Church and the entire Hall family as Pastor Hall's son, Anthony, transitioned this week. I am a lifelong member of Triumph Baptist Church. I grew up looking up to Mr. Anthony, and his sons are good friends of mine as well as other STATED MEETING 98 3/24/2022 family. So I just, first and foremost, wanted to offer my condolences and let folks know that myself as well as this legislative body will be keeping their family and the community in prayer. I then wanted to echo the sentiments of my colleagues -- my colleague Councilmember Gilmore Richardson just with her frustration with the School District. I'm not going to be longwinded right now, because I'll be on their phone this afternoon, and at some point, they got to get tired of me calling. We need a lot of things over there, and I think a big step would be hiring new government relations folks so we can have regular communication with the School District of Philadelphia so we can address the needs of the constituents who communicate to us on a consistent basis. Last, but not least, I just STATED MEETING 99 3/24/2022 colleague Councilmember Gauthier. I'm praying for her. I appreciate her strength and her ability to continue to do the people's work throughout the course of the week. I tried to check on her a couple times and pop up on her, but she was so busy working, even after that incident, that you couldn't even offer some level of support, and that speaks to her character and her passion and her commitment to the constituents of the City of Philadelphia. But at the same time, when she talked about around this gun violence crisis, it's absolutely right. Outside of the incident she experienced, there were a number of homicides again this week. We received a troubling report that a student on the way home from basketball practice was unfortunately shot this past week in broad daylight, just caught in the crossfire, and that's another unfortunate incident that we're facing as it relates to this gun violence STATED MEETING 100 3/24/2022 Philadelphia. So I do support her request and I do think that we need to see more of a sense of urgency as it relates to how we deploy resources into the neighborhoods that are the most in need. Thank you, Council President, and thank you to this legislative body.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Domb.
Thank you, Council President. I just want to, I think, bring to light some positive news and, that is, the gift of MacKenzie Scott of $20 million to Benefits Data Trust. You got to love that. Boy, that's amazing stuff. And I know, Council President, you're a big advocate for the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit and the fact that we have 75,000 families in our city and 300,000 people who still don't STATED MEETING 101 3/24/2022 benefits, totaling in the range of $600 million, and now -- I know that Benefit Data Trust told us previously that for every dollar they receive, they can leverage that into $8 of benefits. So I'm just hoping that this 20 million, we can all work together and make sure that Benefits Data Trust can utilize that money for the citizens of this city to leverage that federal money. So I think that's a great gift, amazing on her part, and I think we're all very appreciative of it. So thank you, and thanks for the opportunity to speak. Thank you.
Absolutely. Thank you. Heck of a gift. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Parker.
Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, and thank you for acknowledging me without my ability to type in the Chat box. I rise, Mr. President, simply STATED MEETING 102 3/24/2022 that were made by Councilmembers Green along with Gilmore Richardson, and I wanted to say for the benefit of the public who are watching that if you get an opportunity, please Google and see Senator Cory Booker from New Jersey give his comments regarding all of the challenges that Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson has been dealing with in the midst of her confirmation hearings. I wanted to just give you a snippet, Mr. President, of what he said. These were his opening remarks. He said: It's hard for me not to look at you and see my mom, not to see my cousins, one of them who actually had to be here today and sit behind you. She had to have your back. I see my ancestors and yours. But don't worry, my sister. Don't forget, God has got you. And how do I know that? You're here, and I know what it's taken for you to sit in that seat. STATED MEETING 103 3/24/2022 that, Mr. President, I thought about Vice President Kamala Harris. I thought about all of the comments that I heard after President Biden had made his selection of Vice President Harris, and I thought about the young girls and even some of our more seasoned women who said that representation is important, because you can't be what you don't see. And I want to also encourage Philadelphians to view Senator Cory Booker's remarks as courage under fire, because he relates back, Mr. President, to when he first got to the United States Senate. And, Mr. President, he said that when he was walking through the halls of the Senate, he said there were members of the janitorial staff who literally would walk up to him and hug him, because they were so happy to see someone who looked like them serve in that capacity. So here they were maintenance workers, the janitors keeping that STATED MEETING 104 3/24/2022 alive, but one of their own had the ability to sit in the chair and lead in governance. So thank you, Councilmember Derek Green and Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson, for acknowledging the importance of Ketanji Brown Jackson and what it means. I also just want to state for the record, Mr. President, that next week, I will get an opportunity, and invitations will be going out to all members of Council, to attend an announcement about a neighborhood public safety and community policing plan that once it is circulated to all members of Council, it is my hope that members of this body will see the value in it. And while it does, Mr. President, acknowledge that we need a holistic approach to addressing this issue of gun violence and all of the underlying issues associated with why it is actually occurring, Mr. President, it STATED MEETING 105 3/24/2022 part of that plan that we have not heard a lot of people talking about and, that is, the issue of community policing. I'm talking about bike patrol and beat officers walking the beat in our neighborhoods, along our commercial corridors, near our recreation centers, and near our schools. And I think the reason why, Mr. President, this issue of community policing that you, Councilmember Johnson, Jones, Gauthier, and I, that we heard so much about when we visited Chester to get an overview about the success they had made in reducing violent crimes in their region, community policing, is because there had been substantial calls for the de-funding of the police. And, Mr.
President, I want to say this for the record, that when I have traveled throughout this city, not just my district but in neighborhoods throughout our city, I have not heard at one community meeting anyone in the STATED MEETING 106 3/24/2022 or texting me saying, Cherelle Parker, we need to be de-funding the police. What they have said to me, Mr. President, is what about Moody and Merchant? What about those officers who were on bikes, who walked the beat, who got to know our residents, who were a part of the fabric of our community but also gave us a law enforcement presence that wasn't reactive? They weren't responding to crime, Mr. President. I'm referencing the bike patrol officers and the beat officers. They were proactive. It was prevention. So I'm looking forward, Mr. President, to a very intense debate. There are some -- and I want to say this to residents throughout the City of Philadelphia who may be watching right now -- that beat officers and bike patrol may not be in vogue anymore, but I am not talking about this issue from the perspective of those who have written STATED MEETING 107 3/24/2022 papers, wrote white papers. I am thinking about those of you who live in neighborhoods and you are not amongst the 30,000 Black people who fled our city since the last census, the 11,000 White people who have fled our city since the last census. You are those who are here either because you've chosen to stay or you don't have the opportunity to leave. And you do matter and you deserve to have a proactive preventive presence of community policing and law enforcement in your community. And let us not allow anyone to guilt and/or shame us into believing that our desire to have community policing and a law enforcement presence in our neighborhood is a bad thing. Every Philadelphian, every neighborhood in the City of Philadelphia, they deserve public safety and a preventive presence of community policing and law enforcement in their neighborhoods. STATED MEETING 108 3/24/2022 to a robust discussion. And Public Safety Chairman Jones, I'll be following up with you after this meeting for one of the business owners in your district, sir, has actually agreed to host the announcement of this messaging and press conference. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes the aforementioned Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. I am compelled to second the remarks of Member Gauthier. That experience that she underwent, had to deal with is what our constituents deal with every day, whether they're trying to sit on a front porch and a kid like Mr. Jones, young Mr. Jones on Simpson Street shot down while playing on his porch, where he should have been STATED MEETING 109 3/24/2022 and he was shot and killed. So I watched Member Gauthier's face on subsequent Zooms and I could see the post-traumatic stress in her face. When she was walking through the concourse of City Hall, you could see the weight of that stress and that shootout on her face. Multiply that by tens of thousands of citizens in neighborhoods who go through that anticipated stress and actual reaction to stress every day. I want to say that we as a body are in a unique opportunity. We're poised to review the budget. We're poised to review the production of the money that we appropriated last year, that we can say what is working, what needs to be tweaked, what we can just kind of chalk off to not working, and reallocate money to programs that are working but need to come to scale. It's okay if a program is working a little bit, but it is not okay STATED MEETING 110 3/24/2022 the numbers that it should to make a difference in gun violence. One of the programs that I've had the opportunity to deal with since Bernard Scott's murder in Tustin Playground -- it's got to be closing in on seven years ago. Young boy watching a fight, like a lot of the people on Council had watched as a kid, was an innocent bystander. The two combatants picked up guns, started shooting at each other and he was killed. We got together -- and thank you, Councilwoman Bass, for your efforts to put cameras in rec centers like Tustin, but we pulled together the police over the 19th, the SEPTA Police, the Town Watch, members of the community, the administrators of Overbrook, Beeber then/SLA now, Gompers and a number of -about from Roxborough all the way down to Barry Elementary, pulled them together, and what we do is a Monday morning roll STATED MEETING 111 3/24/2022 been on it. Representative Parker has been on it. Representative Cephas has been on it. I bring it to your attention because what it does, it takes cameras that oversee corridors, safe corridors, to get our kids into school and out of school, and they are monitored, Member Thomas, like when we went down to the Real-Time Crime Center, real eyes on our babies. And so when they see a crowd gathering at 52nd and Lancaster and wonder what's going on, is that a group of kids ready to fight or is it just a basketball team getting ready to get picked up to go to their game. That coordination with police, that coordination with SEPTA, to be able to move a bus schedule just a little bit so warring kids don't see each other at their favorite pizza place, simple as that, letting some kids go a couple minutes early, to let other kids go a little minutes late to save lives. STATED MEETING 112 3/24/2022 of things that we need to start taking inventory of so that we can say, you know, that didn't cost us anything. m. in the morning. Thank you again, Member Gym, for getting up that early. But it saved lives. Not a kid going to and from school since that installation has been murdered. So we need to look at things that are working, adjust things that are not, bring things to scale that should be brought to scale so that we can measure the impact of our efforts within the budget. If it ain't measured, it ain't managed. So we need to do that. m. roll call Monday mornings. You can contact my office with the information to plug in, because it should be replicated around the City.
STATED MEETING 113 3/24/2022 that, again, Member Gauthier, I'm sorry you went through that, but it may be in God's infinite wisdom it was good that you went through that so you know what our citizens go through all the time. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass.
Thank you, Mr. President. You know, I wanted to go a different direction, but I do want to make mention of the gun violence here in the City of Philadelphia. I think a couple of weeks ago I mentioned that we were going to be burying Kymere Carlton, who was the son of former Streets Commissioner Donald Carlton, who was shot and killed here in the City of Philadelphia, and we buried him. Probably the hardest thing that I have STATED MEETING 114 3/24/2022 do, and I hope to never have to do anything close to that in the future. And so -- and it was just a few days later that we had our own member of Council go through such a horrific experience. You know, whatever we're doing, I say over and over again, whatever we're doing, we need to do more of. If we're putting money in, we need to put more money in. You know, if we're putting folks out on the street, ambassadors, police officers, you know, we need to do more to be able to make our residents feel safe. I think that one of the fundamental problems in the City of Philadelphia right now is that people just don't feel safe, and that's something that has to be addressed as quickly as possible. So I look forward to this upcoming budget season so that we can talk about that and have those kinds of STATED MEETING 115 3/24/2022 with the technology that I know that the Police Department needs. After our hearing this week, they talked about some of the technology needs that they had, and to me the price tag was very inexpensive. With the City with a $5-plus billion budget, it was nothing. And so these are the kinds of investments that are going to make our city safer. Two things I just wanted to mention really quickly is -- and I've talked about this before -- is we have opened, my office along with NWON, has opened a jobs bank over at the Nicetown Library. We're operating every Monday and every Thursday with resume writing, job skills, interviewing skills. You name it, we've got it. And we also have placement opportunities. This week we were doing placement for childcare providers. So if you have an interest in that field, we want to encourage you to come on a Monday STATED MEETING 116 3/24/2022 able to receive those services. So that's the Nicetown Library, which is located at the intersection where Broad Street, Germantown Avenue, and Erie Avenue all come to an intersection. So we hope that folks will come out and participate in that. Secondly, I wanted to make sure that people knew and were aware that this coming Saturday, there's going to be a rally and support of KBJ, our Supreme Court nominee. I'm super excited about it. It's at 11 o'clock sharp. It's calling for rain, but we are rain or shine. You know, this is going to be a historic moment for our country. We want to show our support here in Philadelphia, and I really just wanted to encourage folks to come out. It's going to be this Saturday at 11:00 a.m. on Dilworth Plaza at City Hall. So please come on out and show your support for KBJ and also for STATED MEETING 117 3/24/2022 are not going to stand by and not speak out when this young lady who is highly qualified and her qualifications far exceed members of the sitting Supreme Court, members who are currently seated, you know, we are not going to sit by idly while she is mischaracterized and the narrative around her is promoted in a negative way. We will not sit by idly and let that happen. So please come out. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilwoman. I believe that concludes our speeches on behalf of the minority and majority. And with that being said, the Chair recognizes Councilman Jones for a motion to adjourn.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, March 31st, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. STATED MEETING 118 3/24/2022 (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, March 31st, 2022, 10:00 a.m. All in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The motion carries. And, again, please be safe. Thank you all. ) STATED MEETING 119 3/24/2022 CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. MICHELE L. S 58:16, 25 47:11, 12 wait 35:18 110:9 Whole-Home 119:8, 21 68:11, 12, 22 urgency 68:10, 89:8 Water 44:24 19:17 20:8 transfer 15:24 81:20 12 88:8 100:5 waited 89:2 62:9 83:14 21:14 16:16 17:5 Ukraine 43:20 urging 27:13 waking 96:23 waves 83:7, 8 Williams Transgender 55:12 56:5 55:8 walk 83:13 way 18:4 44:23 52:22 23:4 57:11, 15 use 28:15, 24 103:21 35:2, 12 71:13 willing 25:12 transitioned 58:20 61:24 58:12 walked 80:8 75:20 76:3, 14 39:20 97:21 63:12 68:4 usually 62:10 106:8 87:12 90:6, 13 winning 44:2 transmitting Ukrainian utilize 101:10 walking 88:21 94:11 95:4 wiring 21:6, 7 15:12 27:16 58:23 92:22 103:18 99:20 110:23 wisdom 113:5 trapped 67:12 62:14 67:12 <V> 105:6 109:7 117:10 wishing 31:23 90:18 94:24 68:16 69:18 value 104:19 want 19:8 ways 62:6 withdraw trauma 91:9 Ukrainians values 66:23 25:15 33:18, 93:2 95:21 13:15 traumatizing 27:15 variety 95:21 19 34:2, 10, 19, weak 61:9 withdrawn 89:16 uncertainty vary 31:21 21 35:5 36:13 wealth 20:22 47:20 48:9, 15, traveled 64:5 vehicles 91:13 37:12, 23 21:10 22:3 24 105:22 uncovered Venango 52:21 38:23 40:20 weapons 7:21 witness 49:11 treating 94:5 91:4 vet 25:21 42:15 57:9 60:14, 15 79:19 tried 99:7 underlying vetoed 13:12 60:24 61:5 64:18, 21 65:3 witnessed triggering 104:24 Vice 103:3, 7 69:7 75:22 weather 88:20 82:12 82:20 victimized 77:13 82:17 website 86:2 witnessing Triumph underresourced 94:24 84:18 85:12, Wednesday 68:6 97:18, 23 85:15 view 2:13 16 86:17, 22 67:7 woman 34:19 Troopers 27:8 understand 103:13 91:23 92:7 Week 26:21 80:6, 16, 21 troubling 58:25 63:9 viewers 32:21 96:25 99:2 38:16, 19 82:16 84:2, 6 99:19 64:13 84:24 violated 66:11 100:16 103:12 43:24 79:15, Women 33:19 true 119:7 violence 56:8 104:10 105:20 21 80:14 88:7 34:11, 13, 22 Trust 100:19 understandably 78:8, 16 88:9, 106:19 109:14 92:23 97:21 36:3 66:12 101:4, 9 95:8 14 89:25 91:2, 112:19, 20 99:6, 19, 22 81:6 82:24 try 47:25 understanding 5, 18 92:2, 9 113:16 115:25 104:12 115:5, 83:13, 23 trying 65:6 63:10, 21 94:5, 25 95:3, 116:19 22 92:11 103:9 90:11 91:25 underwent 14 96:11, 21 wanted 20:2 weekly 94:18 Women's 108:21 108:19 97:4 99:15, 25 55:23 57:21 weeks 84:20 26:20 43:23 tube 21:7 unexpected 104:23 110:4 68:23 88:6 113:19 79:15 Tuesday 77:11, 95:5, 6 113:17 97:18 98:4, 8 week's 22:24 wonder 111:14 78:18, 24 unfortunate violent 105:16 102:4, 13 23:7 27:3, 11, word 2:22 turmoil 7:22 99:24 Violette 83:24 113:15 115:12 19 79:13, 23 turn 9:17 unfortunately Virginia 79:19 116:10, 21 weight 109:9 words 62:6 42:12 76:6 78:13 99:21 Visibility 23:5 wants 9:8 welcome 33:20 work 20:21 turned 8:6 unharmed vision 39:24 74:8 welfare 41:22 22:11, 12, 14 Tustin 110:7, 89:10 85:3 war 7:20 well 60:10 26:15 41:21 unintelligible visited 105:14 56:10, 17 64:11 74:20 55:9 56:7 TV 76:6 58:13, 19 59:8, 97:25 98:5 59:19 77:16, STATED MEETING 16 3/24/2022 17, 23 78:6 zero 52:13 87:19 92:8, 10 54:24 95:19 99:6 Zeta 84:4 101:8 zone 56:17 worked 58:16 58:5, 6, 7, 10, 78:5 15 59:3, 7, 14 workers 60:3 63:14, 24 103:25 64:6 working 79:6 Zooms 109:5 95:21 96:12, 99:9 109:19, 21, 23, 112:13 workplace 39:12 workplaces 83:2 works 93:5 workshops 41:8 world 7:20, 22 56:9 61:10 64:15, 17, 19 65:5 66:14 68:8 82:23 worry 102:22 worship 8:11 wounded 61:2 wrap 69:23 writing 115:18 written 106:25 wrong 8:23 9:12 87:15 wrote 107:2 <Y> Yeah 63:6 69:15 70:6 75:11 year 85:5, 11 91:3 93:23 95:25 109:18 years 34:15, 35:4 44:3 80:8 85:22 86:24 90:2 93:8 110:9 Yeshiva 7:7 York 81:10 young 8:12 78:4, 12, 22 79:5, 24 96:3 103:8 108:23 110:9 117:3 youth 10:7 91:9 <Z> Zelensky 59:6